Electric fence controller



3- c. A. FREDERICK 2,319,056

ELECTRIC FENCE CONTROLLER Filed May 15, 1941 4 :MI W} Kid/V66 fl Wade/[M INVENTOR ATTOHNFV Patented May 11, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates a device for controlling an electric circuit in a wire fence adapted for use where it is desirable to keep livestock away from the fence and hence Within the space enclosed thereby by shocking the same whenever contact is made with the fence.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a simple, automatic and highly efficient device for controlling a battery supplied electric current connected to a wire fence such that it will draw very little current from the battery and supplies to the fence a current of very high voltage and low amperage, will operate satisfactorily in wet or dry weather, will place a minimum drain on the battery such as to insure an exceptionally long period of battery operation without replacement thereof or recharging, and is furthermore designed such as to permit ready repair and replacement of the operating parts thereof by any unskilled person requiring for tools only a plier and screw driver.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention resides in the novel arrangement and combination of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Referring in detail to the drawing, l denotes a conventional form of wire fence such as used on farms, ranches, etc., forming an enclosure for livestock and supported on posts II, to which is supplied an electric current in the manner to be hereinafter described, such that, when an animal comes in contact with the fence he will close the electric circuit by virtue of being grounded and will thereby receive an electric shock of an intensity sufficient to make the animal move away from the fence without in any way injuring him.

The source of electric supply is preferably a storage battery indicated at l2 which may be. of any capacity, though good results are obtained with a standard 6 volt automotive battery. The controlling device to be hereinafter described will also operate on the hot shot dry battery.

The controlling device as embodied by this invention is designed to control the electric current at varying intervals to provide a multiplici'ty of shocks to the animal for as long as he contacts the fence. In other words there is in tel-posed in the electric circuit a make and "break mechanism capable of a wide variation in the speed of making or breaking the circuit. Thus, there is utilized in the controlling device a conventional induction coil [3 of the type such as commonly used in the ignition system of a Model I Ford" automobile. A bracket [4 formed of bronze strap, or any other suitable metal, is securely clamped to the armature end of the induction coil casing as by the bolt l5 and is shaped to provide a vertical arm portion i6 adapted to project beyond the armature end of the induction coil casing in the manner clearly shown. The induction coil [3 is mounted on a suitable base or bracket, not shown, located in any convenient place along with the battery l2, and the free upper end of the bracket arm I6 is rigidly connected to the base by means of the brace rods [1 and I8.

The induction coil l3 includes a vibrator l9, actuated by the armature or magnetic core 20, the oscillating speed of the vibrator l9 being regulated by the adjustment of the nut 2| on the adjusting screw 22, in the manner well known. A conductor wire 23 connects the positive terminal of the battery I2 with the positive terminal 24 (primary winding) of the ignition coil while a conductor wire 25 connects the negative terminal of the battery with the ground and negative terminal 26 of the ignition coil. Also a conductor wire 21 connects the current supply terminal 23 (secondary winding) with the wire fence l0, and a conductor wire 30 connects the condenser unit terminal 3| with arm iii of the frame or bracket M preferably by means of the clamping bolt l5.

Swingably mounted by means of the pivot pin supported on the bracket arm l6 adjacent the upper free end thereof is a metallic rotor arm 36. The bearing of the rotor arm 36 on the pivot pin 35 is located between the midpoint of the rotor arm and its upper end so that the longer portion of the rotor arm will lie below the pivot pin, and by virtue of its greater weight will act to bring the rotor arm back to its original contacting position under the action of gravity when the same is swung in a clockwise direction as will be hereinafter described. At its upper end the metal rotor arm 36 is provided with a knob or handle 31 formed of insulating material, and a conductor wire 38 electrically connects the bracket arm IS with the rotor arm 36.

At its lower end the rotor arm 36 carries a contact point 40 which is provided with a threaded stem 4| inserted through a suitable opening in the rotor arm and secured in place by means of the nut 42. A similar contact point 43 having a like threaded stem 44 and nut 45 is mounted on the free end of the vibrator 19, the mounting of both contact points being such that the same will contact each other when the rotor arm 36 hangs in its normal vertical position.

The operation of the fence controller is as follows: When an animal comes in contact with the fence I B, the electric circuit is closed and the magnetic core 20 becomes energized pulling towards it the vibrator l9. This movement is quick and very sudden such that, the rotor arm 36 is caused to swing in a clockwise direction, see arrow A, under the action of a force set up by movement of the vibrator l9, suficient to cause it to swing beyond and away from the vibrator I9 where the latter reaches the end of its movement towards the magnetic core. The energization of the induction coil produces an electric current of high voltage and low amperage which as long as the contact points 4fi-43 are together is delivered through the conductor 21 to the fence in to shock the animal. When the rotor arm 36 breaks contact with the vibrator 19 in its swinging movement as hereinabove set forth the electric circuit is broken and is ren established when the rotor arm 36 swings back under the action of gravity as to bring the contact point 40 into contact with the contact point 43 on the vibrator l9, whereupon the above procedure is repeated for again shocking the animal if he still is in contact with the fence. By suitable adjustment of the nut 2|, the number of vibrations per second or per minute may be varied within the capacity of the induction coil.

Replacement of the contact points 40-43, when worn is efiected simply and quickly by removal of the nuts 42 and 45, removal of the worn contact points and the insertion of new ones.

The fence controller as abov described is simple in operation, entirely automatic, requires a minimum of attention, insures a maximum of battery life and will operate in all kinds of weather.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

An electric system for use with a metallic fence comprising a battery, an induction coil delivering to said fence an electric current of high voltage and low amperage, said induction coil having a vertically positioned vibrator, a vertical bracket supported by said induction coil projecting over and beyond said vibrator, brace ,1 elements connecting the upper free end of said bracket to a supporting surface, an oscillating vertical rotor arm suspended intermediate its ends from said bracket such as to provide a short upper arm section and a long lower arm section, said rotor arm being swingable in the same plane as said vibrator and with its lower end in the path of movement of the free end of said vibrator, an insulated handle fixed to the upper end of said rotor arm said electric system becoming functionally operative only when said fence is grounded, said rotor arm being actuated for movement in one direction by said vibrator, and being gravity actuated for movement in the other direction, a removable contact point on the lower end of said rotor arm, a removable contact point on the free end of said vibrator, said contact points being normally in contact with each other when said electric system is inoperative and for a portion of the movementof the rotor arm in said one direction corresponding to the total movement of said vibrator in the same direction, and said rotor arm being electrically operative by said movements thereof such as to make and break the electric circuit.

CHARLES A. FREDERICK. 

